Largest meteorite in history fell in India 4,000 years ago? Huge crater hints so

Scientists in a new discovery have suggested that a 1.8-kilometre-wide depression, which is called Luna structure, may have been created by the impact of the largest meteorite to have hit Earth in the last 50,000 years. 

The meteorite, which is like a fireball, may have triggered wildfires and massive shockwaves that are likely to have spread in an area where the Indus Valley civilisation's people were living thousands of years ago.

“It would have been definitely equivalent to a nuclear bomb, but without the radioactive fallout,” said Gordon Osinski, who works at Western University in Canada, as reported by NewScientist.

The locals in the Indian state of Gujarat have been aware of the 1.8-kilometre-wide crater, which is known as the Luna structure. 

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It was examined before by the researchers with the belief that it was the result of an impact, but nothing was found in the studies. 

Recently, University of Kerala's KS Sajinkumar along with his colleagues carried out more in-depth research of the crater. 

High proportion of iridium present in the soil, says geochemical analysis 

A geochemical analysis found a high proportion of iridium present in the soil, which suggested that the impact must have been left by an iron meteorite. 

David King, who is from the Auburn University in Alabama and was not part of the study, said that although the geochemical analysis appeared to match, the team has not yet completely proven that it is a crater. 

"To do this, they would need to find super-heated rocks that melted due to the energy of the impact," he said.

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“It’s not that I’m suspicious that this isn’t a crater, but it would be nice to have the standard line of evidence in shocked materials,” King added.

Sajinkumar, along with his colleagues, were able to dig a trench in the dry season but he said that they plan to look for shocked materials and said that the study is “the tip of the iceberg”.

Even though he lacked the shocked materials, Osinski said that he strongly believes the Luna structure is an impact crater because of the other evidence.

“The authors have done a great job with the samples that they have,” he said. 

(With inputs from agencies)